Alligator Bait!!!!

[Stump Bumper]

I was at the Mason's Lodge last night and got to talking with James Conigleo and he shared a story with me that I thought ya'll might enjoy. When he was a "young buck", back in 1995, one of his buddies gave him a "doe tag" that he wasn't able to use. James put on some hip waders and headed into the "Green Swamp" to go get a deer. He came to a stream, that was about 30 yards wide and, thinking he could wade it, was about to step in when, "like a bolt of lighting" a 10 foot gator lunged out of the water and snatched him by the knee and upper calf and tried to drag him in. James, caught by surprise and scared half to death, reacted out of instinct and emptied his high powered rifle into the gators head. The gator turned loose and thrashed around for a bit before dying. James grabbed the gator by the tail and dragged him up on the bank. Badly injured, and loosing alot of blood it took him two hours to make it back to his starting point and help. He was treated and stiched up and was able to lead people back to the site of the attack and retrieve the alligator. He showed me pictures of the gator that tried to eat him and I can tell you that James had an angel on his shoulder that day!~ Schoe, I can tell you for sure that there is one "Florida Cracker" that does not take any alligator for granted. He said that it affected him so badly that it took quiet a while before he could walk back down by the water. My hat is off to James Conigleo who survived a nightmare and lived to tell about it....Ray

[big country]

me and two buddies of mine one being shawn( some of you met him at the tourny) were hunting green swamp one year and my good buddy alan took of from the truck about 15 min. before me and shawn. so now we're on our way to our stands and we have to cross this little creek thats about three foot deep and about twenty yards wide,well when we get theres this guy looking at the water and starts telling us that someguy went through it and came out the other side, but when he got out of the water in his wake was a 8 foot gator that had been following him in the water.luckily alan had somebody watching out for that day also....

[Stump Bumper]

John, remind me never to venture into the Green Swamp....LOL....Ray

[big country]

hell me and my buddy alan were in ther one day and came to culvert on the side of the road and it had some water in it and upon a closer look at the waters edge the water started move with about fifty baby gators,my first thought was mommaso i got the hell outta there...lol

[hushpuppy]

I heard that...lol.

[Stump Bumper]

"Note to Self", never volunteerly put yourself on the menu!....Ray

[Schoe]

I thought there weren't supposed to be many alligators around and they are widely protected, Heck the day of the turkey Creek Tournament I saw at least 15 different ones and there has to be 10 to 20 times that many that we didn't see. It looks like that is not the place to fall out of a boat. Schoe

[big country]

we call em swamp chickens....the chicken of the lake....mmmmmmm gator....
schoe you gotta try the gator tail it really is pretty tasty if cook right....

[hushpuppy]

Gator tail chunks cooked with some everglades seasoning. Nothin' beter.

[Stump Bumper]

I agree! Florida is not the only state that you can go into a seafood resterant and order frog legs, but it "is" almost the only state that offers "gator" on the menu. Most of the time it's in the form of "gator bites" (deep fried cubes of gator tail)....Ray

[hushpuppy]

Make your tongue smack your brains out!

[wewamohawk]

ray there lots fo places in louisanna that have gator and any thing else can walk and crawl swim or fly, in fact you name it they will see that you get it the mohawk

[Schoe]

I have been buying the Alligator appetizer at Steamers in Apalachicola Fla. all this winter. They're not those little skimpy chunks I have had at other places in the past but nice big pieces that I really enjoy. Schoe

[blackpowderscout]

I thought there weren't supposed to be many alligators around and they are widely protected, Schoe

There is NO SHORTAGE of alligators in Florida. They are protected but aren't an endangered species anymore. In fact, you can hunt them but the state has the sorriest management program for them so hardly anyone can afford to legally. That's why there are so many. However, no one should FEAR them. Respect would be prudent but they aren't out to hunt you in most cases. Most attacks in Florida are on old retirees who don't know better and feed them or on kids and dogs. Remember they eat small animals so kids and dogs fit the bill nicely. We used to have a swimming hole on the Hillsborough and saw gators alot sunning on the bank...we didn't worry unless they went in the water and then we moved on somewhere else.

Of course, I've learned not to believe what state biologists and enviro's say about species populations. Back in the 30's when there were "supposedly" only a few hundred gators left, some of the old timers were harvesting that many a month to sell on the black market.

The state says the black bear are almost gone, they're not. In fact the population is almost healthy enough in some places for a LIMITED hunt.

Manatees are another one, very strange rules regarding their "habitat". For instance, the Withlacoochee River is idle only below Lake Rousseau because of them yet at the mouth there is a 900 yard or so stretch where you can return to normal speed but then must return to idle again athe end. By now you are out in the gulf. Where do the manatees go??? Are there underwater signs making them walk outside of this stretch of river??? A few miles south the barge canal is completely open to 25mph traffic so apparently the manatees have been told to stay out of there too although it's common to see them in there. If you've ever seen many wild manatees you know that they are faster than what most people think.

Adam

[capt.kirk]

there is no shortage of them at TURKEY CREEK,they have more than there
share of MONSTERS in that lake,with all the building going on in the
state,they are always seeking a new home,its no wonder that they
have to get them out of swimming pools,is it time to harvest,or add more
building restrictions???
KIRK

[Stump Bumper]

I just got an email that I sent out to a few of the WIF member's. If any of ya'll can or know how to post that picture, I think alot of people would be interested in seeing how big we grow our alligators down Florida way. What a nightmare!!!! Sure wouldn't want that puppy to swim up along side my boat one night while I was anchored off fishing. Man, that's make me want to start carrying a gun in my boat!....Ray

[big country]

lets try this...86

[big country]

i showed that picture to a couple of guys at work and all they could say is how many times they walked through the swamp with just a flash light...hehehehe

[Stump Bumper]

Talk about scarey! There's no telling how many dogs, cats or humans that monster ate in his lifetime!....Ray

[nosnag]

I went to one of my favorite launch areas to try some night fishing last year and there were two gators lunching on something someone had thrown into the trash barrel there. They were like twins. Both around eight foot long. Must have used that barrel a few times before because it was tipped oner and one had its head in there chowing down. I figured discretion over ruled valor, and went back home. I like seeing them, but I do'nt want to sit down beside them.

BILL

[big country]

hey bill,
they were probably much on the other guy who decided to go ahead and fish before you....:p ...lol

[capt.kirk]

HEY RAY
Just how mad would you make that one with your taser???
KIRK

[nosnag]

Gets you thinking about the warnings about feeding those big lizards. I have seen fish carcasses and sandwiches in those barrels many times.People are feeding them without knowing it. I drove right up to them, and they stood their ground. Makes me think twice before bankfishing at night by myself. Afraid someone would just find my tackle when they went to launch their boat. Rules and regs. here say you ca'nt leave your vehicle and trailer at the launch area after dark. Guess I'll do a lot of day fishing for cats here.

BILL

[Stump Bumper]

You ain't kidding Bill, I don't bank fish at night unless it's off a bridge or pier....Ray

[wewamohawk]

you guys take care when night fishing like ray said fish from the pier good luck from the mohawk

[capt.kirk]

After all this information,i still spent 2 hours in the water up to my waist
reparing my boat dock,guess the dock wont get any more repairs,i may
be out of lucky charms,I think this is what DAVID LETTERMAN calls
stupid human tricks.
KIRK

[nosnag]

Kirk,:rolleyes:
I might do something like that from Dec. through March.But now??? Not a chance. Those things are cruising up and down the river here 24/7. I marvel at the kids that I see swimming in the river around here. It is'nt unusual to see gators six to ten foot long on the banks when drifting with my boat, sunning with those toothy mouths open. Keeps me high and dry unless I'm launching or taking the boat out of the water.Even then I am very aware of my surroundings.
I'm sure most wo'nt bother a grown man. It is the one that just might that I'm worried about. If I spot one too close, there will be a terrible aroma surrounding me.;)
BILL

[Stump Bumper]

Has anybody been following the news today? Here in Florida there have been three seperate incidents where women have been attacked and killed by alligators in the past four day's! Heck, there have only been 17 confirmed fatal attacks, here in Florida, over the past 58 years. Look's like our Florida gator's are almost to the point where they are no longer afraid of humans and may even consider us as a new food source? More "writing on the wall" that add's to my list of reason's not to swim in fresh water lakes, rivers and canels here in the sunshine state!....Ray

[big country]

ray weren't all three women out jogging?
that just tells me that as long as your not running around them you should be fine,right?????
as far as the gators getting used to humans, if people keep feeding them like they do how can they not assoiciate us with food?

[Stump Bumper]

That's true about people feeding gators. They don't post those sign's for nothing. I sure do feel sorry for the families. What a terrible way to lose a loved one. I guess the way the population is growing down here we should expect thing's like this to happen?....Ray

[capt.kirk]

RAY
You are right,the more we build the closer they get thru the loss of habitat,
It is a terrible loss to the familys.WELL that boat dock of mine needed 2
more flotation devices added to it yesterday,so i get every thing ready
and went out back with all my things,and set down in the lawn chair,and
it hit me about what i heard on the news the night before,so i studied the
situation a while,SUE was not home so i called ROGER and asked him if
he could come over and do a GATOR watch for me,while calling me some
kind of crazy something that ended with icth,he came over and i got the job
done for the LAST TIME,I just didnt feel safe without a wittness to see
where my hat ended up.Half hour job took 10 min. KIRK

[nosnag]

Kirk,
Next time you plan on wading with the lizards,tie a shark hook to your belt.Secure the line really good.That way if one gets ya,they will only have to pull it in to know which one gotcha.
Did Sue pay the last premium on the life insurance?
Seriously,good thinking on the buddy system.NO ONE should go into the water in a quiet area without help available, and someone on the lookout.
BILL

[mperry]

Since your talking about gators in Florida, what about the Pythons. I saw a picture a month or two ago of a python that tried to eat a gator and the python busted open. I believe it said they were becoming pretty plentiful in the glades. Not sure if I would want to come up on either one.
Mike

[Hashaam]

im sure their not as big as ur Flordia Gators but i saw a couple of the lizards while fishing in a small pond and it was enough to move me back a few feet

[thatjohnkid]

Man he was lucky

This is my only run in with a gator, happened a couple weeks ago.

I ran into my first gator this morning fishing. It wasn't close to me,
but the first time I've seen one out while I was fishing.

I was fishing the Little Econ River, I had sat down on a bench to tie on a new lure. When I heard a weird loud a$$ noise on the other bank. It sounded to me like those loud import car mufflers at low RPM's mixed with a leaf blower. Then I saw this large object come out of the water attacking something (I think) in the over hanging tree that was about 2-3ft above the water. Then I saw it go back down and start splashing around then it
disappeared. I get home not 100% sure if what I saw was a gator cause
it was kinda far away and the sun made it hard to see. I looked up on
Google the sound an alligator makes, and they say mature males make a sound similar to a chainsaw starting. I was like yup I saw me a gator. Only time I fish that spot, may go back there tomorrow but I think I'm gonna try another spot.